Electrical connector device



Oct. 16, 1923.

, E. H. FREEMAN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR DEVICE Filled July 21 1919 Suva/1to1:

@Hoz nu? memeA a.' 16, 1923. @f Nl-TED STATES PATENT CF1-"Ica l Emana. FREEMAN, or rEENroN, NEW JEnsEY, assIGNon To E. H. FREEMAN ELEC- TRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION F NEW JERSEY.

ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR. DEVICE.

.alplicatioalea July 21, 1919. serial N. 312,289.

Te all whom t my concern:

Be it known that I, EDGAR H, FREEMAN,

a citizen of the United States, residing at- Trenton, in the county of Mercer and State of New Jersey, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Electrical Connector Devices, of which the following is a specification. v Y I This invention relates' to electrical con-l nectors, and has particular reference to an` improvement in devices for obtaining a large area of contact between the current carrying parts beforethe circuit is closed.

In lighting and other'l circuits using a heavy current, it is necessaryto provide 'a connect-or wherein`the contacting parts engage substantially throughout their full contacting area before the circuit is completed vto prevent sparking, arcing or the burning outofthe contacts themselves. To this en therefore, it is also desirable as well as necl essary that means be `provided lwhereby a quick make and break may beobtained between the contacting parts after the latter have passed into. and out of full telescopicrelation, or at least-to such a degree as to `effectively safeguardagainst the conditions above set forth under all conditions of use. Accordingly, the present invention proposes to provide a novel simple and practical connector device wherein the electrical circuit is closed by a snap switch automati- .more readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter moreA l the switch vportion of the plugv body, showing the snap switch shifted. to its closedposition.

Figure 3 is a cross sectional lview on the line 3--3 of Fi re 1.

Figure 4 is a ottom plan view of the cap of the attachment plug.

responding parts throughout the several `iigvures of the drawings.

In carryin the present invention into e fect it will o course be understood that the same is susceptible of embodiment in various forms of' electrical devices such as wall or base board receptacles, or attachment plugs as illustrated in the drawings, since the principle of operation and the general structural featuresand characteristics are readily adaptable to any of these types of devices.

In ythe attachment plug embodimeiit of the invention as shown in the accompanying drawings, the numeral 1 designates` a receptacle body having the reduced end portion 2 for receiving the metallic -screw shell cont'act 3, and the upper enlarged portion 4 having an interior switching chamber 5 which may be closed by an insulatingocoverdisk 6 which is in effect a part of the y 1, and rovided with the openings 7 forreceiving die contact blades 8 of the plug cap 9.

The said plug cap 9 is preferably fitted with t'he usual wire binding terminals 10 and 11 as shown in Figure 4 for securing the ends of the wires in electrical contact .with the blades 8 permanently carried b the cap. The said contact blades 8 are pre erably of duplicate formation or design to facilitate their insertion within the receptacle in the usual manner Without reference to the particular openings therein, but it will be observed that each of said blades is/provided at its lower end With the switchoperating nose 12 and a notch or recess 13 for receiving a portion of the switch operating mechanism as will presently appear.

Referring now to the receptacle body 1 it will be observed that the same is provided with a center plu Contact screw 14 whose head portion isa apted to engage withthe center contact of a socket in the usual manner, while the opposite end thereof has fitted thereto a centrally located contact blade 15, the same constituting the center contact of' the receptacle body and cooperatinvwith the switch device S to be presently referred to. The vscrew shell`contact 3 of the plug part 2 is electrically connected by the screw' 16 with the base of the substantiall U- shaped receptacle terminal 17 whic 'is adapted to telescopically receive one of the contact blades 8, while at the opposite side of the switchfchamber 5, there is provided a vatv l-oo y or walls of the terminal 18 are provided with the offset ears 19 for receiving a pin 20 constituting an axis f0ran oscillatory switch frame 21, and also providing an axis and support for a novel switch frame` actuating cam 22. l,

By reference to igures 2 and 3 it will be apparent that the switch frame21 is of substantially U-shaped formation withl its ends pivotally mounted on the` pin 2Ov while the web portion 21a thereof is provided .with an opening for slidably receiving one end of a switch throwing arm 23 the opposite end of which is pivotally connected as at 24 with the cam 22, eccentric to the axis thereof. The said switch throwing arm '.23 is surrounded by a coil spring 25 whichlserves toplace the switch .frame 21 under tension whereby when the cam 22 is moved the switch frame will be quickly. shifted or snapped from the top toward thev base of the switch chamber, or vice versa, in order to. quickly make or quickly break electrical contact between the switchl frame 21 and the center lcontact 15 which .as shown in Figure 3 is also of substantially U.shaped formation and receives the sides of the frame between its relatively resilient arm portions to thus insure a positive contact.

The operating cam 22 which is carriedon the pin or shaft 2O of the terminal element 18 is provided with the balade engaging shoulder 26 and the blade engaging projection 27, the said shoulder 26 being adapted to be engaged byl the extreme lower edge of o ne of the blades 8 when the same are ini'' tlally thrust into the terminal element 18,`

and the said projection 27 being pushed into the notch 13 when the blade has reached the limit of its inward movement'after having caused the switch frame to engage with the center contact 15 as shown in Figure 3. Thus, it will be apparent that the formation of the cam 22 is such that when the bladescarried by the cap are moved into the receptacle terminals, there will be a relatively large area of contact between these two members by the time the lower end of the blade engages with the shoulder 26 of the switch operating cam, and then simultaneously. as the blades are pushed inwardlylto their limit, to make a full contact, the

Switch frame 21 wai be thrown and quakiy close the circuit. On the other hand, upon the withdrawal of the blades 8 .when the cap is pulled away fromthe plug body the.

blades'8 and terminals 1,7 and 18 will remain in electrical Contact until the outward movement of the blades has been sufficient to cause the rocking of the caml through l -the medium of the notch 13 and the projection-27,'whereupon the circuit will be instantly broken by' reason of the spring controlled switch throwing arm23 operating in a reverse direction due to ltheshifting of the end 24 thereof,by the cam.

From the foregoing itwill be apparen that the present invention vprovidessimple and practical means for permitting the con-A ytact elements of both the relatively. fixed and movable elements of-an electrical con-- nector to establish a relatively large larea of contact before the circuit is closed, thus fulfilling all of the objects heretofore set forth and at the Sametime conforming with underwriters standards and requirements for this type. of devices'.l

` Without further description it is thought that the features and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent,vand

-it will of course be understood that changes in the form, proportion, and other minor details may be resorted to without departingfrom the spirit of the invention or scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. An electrical connector including a body having ,at one end a plug member pro vided with socket contacts and at its otherend a receptacle portion carrying a centerl contact and side contacts' respectively connecting withsaid socket contacts, a switch member mounted within the receptacle portion of the body and adapted to engage withv said center contact, and a cap memberV carrying 'the line wireterminals and a pair of contact blades for engaging with said side contacts, and one of said blades having an actuating engagement with the switch member.

2. A separable attachment plug includin a body having a plug member at one en 'provided with socket contacts and also having a closed switch receptaclefchamber opposite the plug, a center Contact and a pair of blade receiving terminals arranged within the switch receptacle, said blade receiving terminals each consisting of spaced yielding contact members, and said center contact and blade receivingl terminals re- Spectively connecting with said socket contacts, a snap switch carried by one ofthe blade receiving terminals and having a portion Athereof disposed between the contact members forming the same, and a detachable cap Carr ing contact blades yadapted to enter the bla e receiving terminals whereby leo v one of the contact blades engages with the portion of the switch carried by one of the terminals thereby to actuate the switch.

3. A separable attachment plug consisting of a cap and body, the latter having a plug portion provided with socket contacts and a switch chamber, a pair of blade receiving terminals and a centrally located contact arranged within the switch chamber and respectively connecting with said socket contacts, an oscillating switch frame pivotally mounted on one of the blade receiving terminals, a shaft constituting the axis of said frame, a cam mounted on said shaft land having a portion projecting between the arms of one of the blade receiving terminals, a spring-tensioned throwing arm pivotally engaging with said cam and slidably engaging with said switch frame, and contact blades carried by the cap and adapted to enter said terminals.

4. A separable attachment plug consisting of av cap and body, the latter having a plug portion provided with socket contacts and a switch chamber, a pair of substantially U- shaped blade receiving terminals and a cen trally located contact arranged in the said switch chamber, a shaft spanning the arms of one 0f the blade receiving terminals, an oscillating switch frame mounted on said shaft, an operating cam having a resilient throwing connection with said switch frame and also having a portion lying between the arms of the terminal member carrying the switch frame, and duplicate con-v tact blades carried by the cap and provided with notched edge portions, whereby when either one of the same pass between the arms of the blade receiving terminal carrying the switch, the latter will be actuated through the engagement of the notched blade with said cam.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

EDGAR H. FREEMAN. Witnesses: y

OLIVE V. DowNs, ELLEN J. LARRABEE. 

